


Second Chances

by loverjoy



Category: Black Clover - Tabata Yuki (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Action/Adventure, And angst, Eventual Romance, F/M, also finral is always in a coma so, i just love him okay, i love finral, plz help him, that's just how i be, there will probably be hurt/comfort, this is purely self indulgent
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-30
Updated: 2020-09-08
Packaged: 2021-03-06 18:13:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,142
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26203237
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/loverjoy/pseuds/loverjoy
Summary: Tassa Griffin lived a life in The Boonies with her little sister and grandfather, lying and stealing to get by. But one day an opportunity to become a Magic Knight arises and she joins The Black Bulls. There she meets her second family, a group of strange and outlandish people who she never in a million years would've thought she'd meet but is so glad she did. Even more glad for meeting Finral Roulacase, their relationship blossoming into something she never thought she'd have.
Relationships: Finral Roulacase/Original Character(s)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 11





	1. Thieving and Lying

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! Thank you for clicking on this story and reading! This is a very self-indulgent fic, I just really really love Finral. He's become quite the comfort character for me and I just really wanted to write something about him, so here we are! I hope you guys enjoy this story, I have so much fun writing it already! This first chapter introduces Tassa, the next chapter will begin about where the Black Clover story starts off! Anyway, on with the story!

“Get back here you runt!” The old man from the market yelled as the red-headed girl ran out of his shop, knocking over a few items of produce in her rush.

He was angry, waving a fist in the air as he tried to chase after her but she was much too quick for him. He grunted and huffed irritably, pointing at a few guards from the town that had seen her take off, “Go after her would ya?! She stole from me! Again!”

Four guards went after her, the old man standing at the front of his shop with hands on his hips, hoping they got her this time. She’d gotten away so many times before, her luck had to run out at some point. Even still, the guards had a hard time keeping up with her. She was graceful and quick, but they were able to keep up. That frustrated her.

They were quicker this time, she wondered if they had finally learned her tricks? It doesn’t matter, all she had to do was get far away enough to work a little magic and they’d be off her tail in no time. It was so easy, a child could do it.

She kept the fresh produce she stole in her bag, making sure it was secure under her arms so she didn’t spill any. She’d gotten quite a bit this time, they’d be eating good tonight. It almost put a smile on her face, but not quite. She wouldn’t celebrate, not yet. She wasn’t out of the woods yet. But she was close.

She looked over her shoulder, seeing she was getting a little distance on them, and that gave her a boost of confidence. Just a little further and she’d be home free. 

She got a little more distance on them and when they were almost dots in the background she turned the corner into an alley and ran through it, coming out the other side. She skid to a stop and turned around, looking through the alley. She let the bag she was cradling hit the ground, though gently so as not to spill anything. Then, she stepped forward and cracked her knuckles, smiling a little cockily.

“Here we go again,” She said quietly to herself, then she slammed her foot into the ground and suddenly the ground rumbled a bit and suddenly a wall of rock and dirt rose, blocking off the end of the alleyway and cutting off the guard’s route of action.

She smiled and stepped back, dusting her hands off, “Easy as pie.”

Then she turned around and leaned down to grab her bag, scooping a few apples back inside before she got to her feet. Only for her to almost collide with a chest, which made her stumble back. Her eyes widened when she recognized him as one of the guards who’d been chasing her and she tried to turn around to run, but he grabbed her arm before she could get anywhere.

“Not so fast, little miss,” He said, gripping her arm tight as she scrambled to try and get away, “You’ve gotten away with this for the last time. You’re going to pay for your actions this time.”

She was kicking, trying to pull out of his grasp, but he wasn’t budging. _Ugh, this is really a pain in the ass._ He smirked sort of smugly, looking up at the wall before them, “So, you’re an earth attribute, huh? Never thought we’d figure you out.”

She didn’t reply to him, she just kept struggling to get away. He didn’t seem at all fazed by her struggle, he just looked down at her with that annoying smirk on his face, “No point in fighting, little miss. You’re weak compared to me, being a short-stack woman and all.”

She ignored him, keeping a hold of the bag, keeping it safe. Ignoring him though didn’t really stop him from talking, “You know, looking at you up close… You’re not so bad looking. Shame I haven’t seen you up close sooner, we could’v-- Oof!”

Suddenly and surprising to him, she kneed him in the crotch and she pulled out of his grasp easily. He was easy to get away from, she just had to wait for the perfect moment. She smiled as she stepped back, holding her bag under her arms, “You should learn when to shut your mouth… Besides, you’re not my type anyway. Much too loud-mouthed and boisterous. If you got a sister though, send her my way.”

He grunted and glared at her, “You little--”

She giggled and waved at him, turning away and running off, “Bye-bye! Thanks for the workout, it was fun!”

Then she was on her merry way, giggling and dashing back towards home. After she’d lost all of the guards, it was fairly easy to get there. It was only a few minutes out of the hustle and bustle of town, a small little house, just enough room for the three of them.

The town was nice, very cozy and full of kind people, or so that’s what most people thought. She knew better though, she knew how they really were. They were just a bunch of cruel people, closed minded and judgmental. At this rate they were no better than royals or even commoners. They were just as bad.

Really, it’s why she had no friends. She didn’t interact with anyone outside of the only two she got along with, she immediately distrusted anyone. She was suspicious of them all, and she had good reason to be. She herself didn’t mind the passing cruel words she got, but it was when they spoke of her. That’s what she didn’t like. The words they said, they weren’t just jabs, they were cruel and threatening. It made her so angry. She’d threatened to fight people over it before, but she was always dragged out of it before she could get herself into trouble.

Or at least, most of the time.

Sometimes.

She got home before nightfall, smiling proudly when she jogged up to the front door and raised a fist to knock. A special knock. Then she called out in a sing song voice, “Marinette! I’m back! And I brought goodies!”

Silence, then a soft pitter patter of small feet hitting the floorboards, then the door was being unlocked and open. Behind it was a small girl, only ten years old with long red pigtails looking up at the older girl with excitement in her eyes, “Tassa!”

The taller redhead smiled and snickered, reaching forward and ruffling the little girl’s hair, “Make way, little one! I brought some things you might like!”

The little girl looked very excited and she moved away so Tassa could step into the home. She closed the door behind her and Marinette bounced after Tassa as she stepped over to the table and set the bag down. Marinette climbed onto one of the chairs and sat on her knees, palms pressed flat against the table as she waited for Tassa to reveal what she’d brought home today.

“Ready?” The older girl asked and Marinette nodded excitedly. Tassa smiled and opened the bag, saying dramatically, “Feast your eyes!”

A bunch of apples fell out of the bag along with some bread and other items of food. Marinette’s eyes widened and she grinned, “You got the white ones!”

“Hehe, yep! Your favorite! I’ll make you some pie tomorrow, yeah?” Tassa told her, hands on her hips.

The little girl smiled and nodded enthusiastically, “Yeah!”

Tassa beamed with pride, chuckling a little. She always liked to see a smile on Marinette’s face, she liked it even more when she was the one putting it there. Marinette didn’t smile much, so when she did it was always a blessing. Tassa took a seat across from the little girl, leaning an elbow on the table and reaching forward for an apple, “I’m sure we won’t need them all though, so how about we split one now? A little treat before dinner?”

Marinette nodded, “Mhm!”

Tassa reached for her belt, feeling for her knife so she could cut this pure white apple into juicy and sweet slices. These white apples could only be found in this region of the Forsaken Realm, the nobles and royals all wanted a taste she’s sure. Luckily though, they’d not found where these apples were yet. She’s sure if they did they’d turn this town upside down trying to get a hold of them. 

She scowled. She really hated people like them, they all thought they were better.

She brought her knife to the apple, preparing to slice it, when suddenly a strong hand reached out and stopped her. She froze, mismatching eyes widened as she turned her head to face the man who’d caught her.

_Shit._

“Tassa, where did you get all of this food?” Petri asked her, his aged eyes narrowing at her in scolding.

“Um…” She searched for an answer, and even though she knew he knew what she did, she still bullshit her way through it to the best of her ability, “Can you believe it, Petri? I just found a whole wagon full of food in the middle of the road, abandoned! So, having my bag with me and all, I just scooped up what would fit and brought it home!”

His eyes narrowed further, “You never were much of a good liar.”

Her mouth fell open in offense, her eyes narrowing, “You’re calling me a liar?! How rude! I--”

His grip on her wrist tightened, “I heard from the townspeople that you were caught stealing again, Tassa! Don’t lie to me!”

She shut her mouth then, knowing she’d been caught. She pouted instead, slumping her shoulders, “Well, you never bring in enough money around here to feed Marinette anyway, so I just thought--”

“Stealing is never the answer!” Petri snapped, pulling her up and to her feet, “How many times do I have to tell you that what you’re doing is wrong?! I--”

Suddenly, a sniffling cut them off and they both turned to look and see Marinette frowning, tears streaming down her pale cheeks like rivers, “Y-you didn’t steal this food, did you, Tassa?”

Petri released the older girl’s arm and stepped away, calming himself. Tassa put a smile on her face and stepped around to kneel down in front of Marinette, “Oh no, Mari! I’d never do something like that! Pop-Pop is just jumping to conclusions, you know how silly he can be! We’re going to talk it out, okay?”

Marinette sniffed and nodded, wiping at her cheeks, “Okay…”

“Dry up those tears, okay? Me and Petri are gunna go talk and get this all resolved, okay?” Tassa said, standing again, “I’ll be right back!”

Marinette nodded and sniffled, and Tassa smiled and chuckled, ruffling the little girl’s hair before she turned and left the room, Petri following after her. After they were out of sight and earshot from Marinette, Tassa frowned and let her shoulders fall; Petri was immediately back to scolding her.

“Tassa, I can’t believe after all the talks and scolding you’ve gotten you still haven’t learned a thing!” He harshly whispered, “You’re still out there stealing!”

She glared at him, fighting back, “Well, with the amount of money you’ve been pulling in we haven’t exactly been eating well!”

“We’ve been eating just fine, you’re just impatient!” Petri snapped.

“I am n--”

“What you’re doing is not a good example for that girl out there!” Petri told her, gaze harsh. Tassa sunk at that, turning her eyes away from his and pouting, “All the things you’ve done does not make you a good role model for that child!”

Tassa crossed her arms, trying to lean away from the old man as she muttered, “It’s not like she knows about any of it anyway…”

“That doesn’t matter, because she will find out!” Petri said, giving her that look she hated so much, “Tassa, I am severely disappointed in you. You haven’t learned by now, I wonder if you ever will…”

Tassa frowned deeply, sinking in on herself a little. Everything he was saying cut deep. She didn’t want to be a poor role model for Marinette but… The girl was already small enough and ill, she needed nutrition. Tassa was just doing what she thought was best. Why did nobody understand that?

She must have mumbled all of that, because Petri was suddenly leaning down to try and hear her, “Huh? What was that?”

Tassa lifted her gaze to glare at him, “I said: I’m just doing what I think is best for her. She’s sick, Petri. What don’t you understand about that?”

He was silent for a moment, and his tone softened when he spoke again, “Tassa, I understand what you’re trying to do but you’re going about it in the wrong way. If you could just get a job maybe then you could--”

“You know I’ve tried that, Petri!” Tassa snapped then, fists clenching as her arms shot to her sides, “You’re barely employed now because they know who you are! No one will hire me, especially not now! Honestly, I’m surprised they haven’t found where we live yet!”

Petri frowned then too, seeming a bit upset by her words, “Don’t talk like that. Everything is going to be fine, Tassa. I promise--”

“You keep promising things like that, but look how well that always works out for us!” Tassa snapped, “We’re poor and everyone hates us! And for what?! Just because Marinette has some rare magic that’s ‘dangerous?’”

“Tassa--”

“No, I’m not gunna stand here and let you tell me everything is going to be okay again! Because it never is!” She yelled, then she shook her head and weaved around him, “I’m just… I’m gunna go. I’ll be back later.”

Petri turned around, watching her march towards the door, “Tassa, wait--”

“Have dinner without me,” Tassa said, “I’ll be late.”

Then she left and slammed the door behind her.

\---

Nothing mattered. Nothing she said or did had any meaning, no one listened anyway. Even Marinette seemed disappointed when she found out she stole that food. Ugh, she couldn’t catch a break. She tried so hard to provide, but no one wanted to take her on. She was just a failure.

Just like _her._

She grit her teeth and glared at the lake, tossing a rock out onto it, skipping it a couple of times. The water rippled, the moonlight shining off of it. She tossed another rock into the air, letting it fall back into her palm. She did this a couple of times.

“Dammit…” She whispered, tears burning her eyes. _Why are things like this? Why are things so hard?_ She just wanted a happy life where everyone was treated fairly. There’s so much hate in this world. 

And she couldn’t change a thing about it.

“Dammit!” She stood on top of the boulder she had been sitting on, cranking her arm back and swinging it forward, throwing the rock across the clearing and into the water. It hit it with a loud _splash._

Tears spilled down her cheeks and she bit her lip so she wouldn’t sob out loud. She hated this. She felt weak. And she hated feeling weak. She was just a troublemaker according to everyone in town, they all told her all she was good for was thieving and lying. Maybe they were right. That’s all she’d ever done.

A hand on her wrist startled her, and her eyes widened as she spun around to glare and prepare for a fight; the person before her quickly eased her worry, “Wait, wait! I mean you no harm!”

It was just Petri. She frowned and slumped her shoulders, but her glare never left her face even when she turned it away from looking at him, “You sure about that? Maybe you’ve come back just to scold me some more? Tell me what an awful role model I’ve been and will continue to be?”

Petri frowned, “Tassa--”

“I don’t want to hear it, Petri,” She said, hopping off the boulder and onto the ground, “If you think I’m such a shitty person why don’t you just kick me out already. I’m honestly surprised you kept me around as long as you did.”

“Tassa…” His voice was quiet, regretful. He was quick to toughen back up though, telling her what he wanted, “I came out here to talk to you, not to fight. Not everything has to be an argument between us.”

“Tch, yeah so why are you always picking them?” Tassa scoffed with a roll of her eyes.

“You know it’s not always my fault, Tassa,” He told her, voice level. She didn’t say anything to that, silently acknowledging that she knows that. Petri cleared his throat and stepped closer to her, beginning to speak, “First of all, I’d like to apologize for what I said.”

Tassa’s eyes widened a hair, not expecting that, “Apologize? That’s a first.”

“Don’t get cocky, kid,” Petri said, “Listen. I just want to say that I haven’t been going about everything the way I should be. You’re a brat who doesn’t listen to reason, but you’re not a bad kid.”

“Wow, you sure need to work on your apology game, old man,” Tassa replied with a scoff.

“Let me finish, would ya?” He said gruffly, and she shushed and let him do as he wanted, “You don’t listen, you cause trouble, and you’re stubborn. You’re just like your mother,” Tassa sunk in on herself then, but Petri continued, “But you’re strong and smart and I know what you’re capable of.”

Tassa was intrigued now and she turned slightly to Petri, “What do you mean by that?”

Petri stepped closer to her, seeming more relaxed now than before, “I’m saying I’ve watched you. You have amazing magical talent. You’re a strong woman, Tassa. You could be a powerful mage.”

She wasn’t sure where he was going this, and she turned to face him curiously, features finally softening, “What are you trying to say, Petri?”

They caught each other's eyes and were silent for a moment, then he sighed and stepped towards her. He lifted a hand then, placing it firmly on her shoulder, “The Magic Knight exams are coming up, why don’t you give it a try.”

Tassa rolled her eyes at that, “Oh come on, Petri. I know I used to talk about being a Magic Knight all the time, but that was just a silly dream of mine I had as a kid. I mean come on. Me? A Magic Knight? Let’s be real here.”

“I am being real, Tassa,” He told her, “You’re an amazing mage. And you could be even more amazing in a real squad.”

She blinked, surprised by the seriousness in his eyes, “Oh my God, you’re being serious.”

“Of course, I’m being serious,” Petri said, then he smiled and chuckled, “You think I didn’t see that wall you put up in town today? It was quite the build, kid.”

He actually seemed… impressed. He was chuckling lightheartedly, it made her relax a little. It also let her think this over for a minute. Her? A Magic Knight? She used to dream of being a powerful mage as a kid, someone people could look up to. Not a hero, just someone who helped others. She gave up on it as she reached her teenage years though, realizing that a peasant like herself could never amount to something like that. But if her magic is really as amazing as Petri said it was, maybe it was worth a try?

“Do you really think I could do something like that?” Tassa asked, and it caught Petri’s attention again. He looked down at her, seeing she had bowed her head and he frowned with concern, “Do you really think I can be someone Marinette is proud of?”

She looked up at him then, tears in her eyes as she thought of a future that she hadn’t thought about in years. Petri looked into her mismatched eyes, one gold and one blue. She was afraid, he could tell, but determined. She always was.

He smiled.

“Of course I do,” He put a hand on her shoulder again, giving her a confident smile, “I’ve always believed in you, Tassa.”

She sniffled, letting a few tears slip free, and he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. She cried against his chest, but only briefly. She was tough, she hated to cry and wouldn’t let herself be vulnerable for long. 

He heard her sniffle and move against his chest, and she pulled away slightly to look up at him, asking him, “When is the exam?”

“In a month,” Petri told her, and she immediately stepped back, eyes widening.

“A month?!” She jumped back, throwing her arms around and trying to pump herself up, “I better get training! I got to pump up these muscles! And master a few attack spells! Oh, and I gotta…”

Petri smiled and listened to her ramble, watching the excitement light up her face and movements. It was like watching her as a little kid again, excitement over becoming a Magic Knight. It was her biggest dream as a child, and as he can see now she never truly gave up on that dream.

He chuckled happily as she chattered happily. He hoped things would start looking up, for both those girls.


	2. Magic Knights Entrance Exam

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tassa heads for the capital after bidding farewell to her family. There she meets some interesting people and is finally able to show off what she's been training for the past month. She hopes this goes well, she's betting everything on becoming a real Magic Knight. Nothing can go wrong.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Thanks for the kudos and bookmarks! You guys are so nice! Here's another chapter, a bit longer than the last one! I hope you guys like it!

She couldn’t believe this was happening, honestly. Going to the capital? She never thought she’d get the chance to go there, not in a million years. It was so… sophisticated and all the richer people lived there. They never had any money, yet here she was. And if she got into The Magic Knights she’d be able to stay. She couldn’t even imagine that, but boy was it exciting!

Now, she was standing outside with a bag over her shoulders, several days worth of rations for the road packed up. Petri had put in extra hours just to make sure she would be fed so she would be strong enough to make it to the capital, as well as for the exam she was going there for.

Petri was standing at the door, Marinette next to him. They were both looking at Tassa, Petri smiling with pride; Tassa was smiling just as big back at him.

“I’m so glad you decided to do this!” He told her, looking over the moon for her, “You’re going to get in, I know it! You’ll have every Captain raising their hand for you!”

Tassa rolled her eyes, “Don’t be dramatic, Petri. I’ll be lucky if I can just get one.”

“Oh, don’t talk like that! You’ll do great!” Petri said, patting her on the arms, “Now! Chin up, straight posture, and smile wide! Right now is the beginning of your new life, little miss!”

Tassa giggled, and Petri chuckled a little with her. She was excited, but she was starting to think he was more excited than her. Their laughter was cut short though by the slowly rising sound of sniffling coming to their side, and they both looked over and down to see Marinette crying.

Tassa frowned, “Mari? What’s wrong, darling?”

She sniffled and wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her shirt, “I-I don’t want you to go…”

Tassa smiled sweetly, her features softening. She kneeled down in front of the little girl and reached out, placing a hand on top of her head, “I’m not going away forever. I’ll come back to visit. I promise.”

Marinette’s bottom lip trembled, and she tried to keep herself from crying anymore, but it wasn’t working out very well. Tassa smiled confidently, ruffling the little girl’s hair, “Come on now, Mari! I’m going to become a Magic Knight! Be happy, I’m gunna be pretty cool! Right?”

Marinette wiped her eyes and nose with her sleeve, trying to suck up the tears and putting on a brave face, “Mhm!”

Tassa snickered, patting the top of Marinette’s head before she pulled her hand away and got to her feet again. She looked to Petri again, one hand on her bag and the other on her hip, “Well… I should get going. It’s a few days' walk and I’d like to cover as much land as possible today.”

Petri nodded, “Understandable…” He looked her over, trying to avoid her eyes and hide how he was feeling, “Just…”

Tassta blinked curiously, staring at him, and before she could ask him what was wrong he was stepping forward and wrapping her up in a hug. She was surprised. He was an affectionate man, sure, but they’d had a rocky relationship since she’d started her delinquent ways. She smiled though, leaning into his hug and returning his embrace. 

_This is nice._

“Ahem,” Petri was quickly pulling away of course, mostly for her sake, “Anyway, you’re right. You should get going. You want to make it to the capital in time.”

Tassa smiled and nodded, “Yeah, I’ll get going. This will be kind of like some more training, this whole trip there.”

“Right,” Petri said, awkwardly clenching and unclenching his fists, “Well, I uh… I just want to say… Uh…”

“Petri?” Tassa tilted her head curiously.

He sighed, catching her eyes finally, “Be careful and try your best. I know you can do it.”

Okay, that was what really took her aback. She couldn’t believe it really, after these past few years of getting nothing but scolded by this man and now he was showing nothing but confidence in her. She felt herself tear up, but she smiled instead to hide the waterworks.

“Of course, I can!” Tassa beamed, standing straighter. She cast a glance towards Marinette briefly, “I’ve got to be a good role model for my little sister, after all!”

Petri smiled at that, pride surging into his chest as he looked at this girl. She was practically glowing with confidence, she more often than not was. She didn’t let her guard down with many people, he just got lucky to see her true emotions that night a little over a month ago.

He knew she’d do great.

After the hug from Petri and giving Marinette a hair ruffle, she was off. They stood outside and watched her go, and they didn’t go back inside until she was out of sight. Tassa smiled for a while after she left. Things would start looking up and those two would be taken care of.

She was going to become someone great.

\---

The capital surely was something like she’d never seen before. It was so big and luxurious, and the people here dressed so nicely. The dresses women wore were so elegant, the vests men wore were so smooth. The food here smelled good and was fresh, the people looked healthier, everything was so much… Bigger. It was incredible really.

Also incredible was her journey here. It sure was hectic. The first day was smooth, not much happened. She ran into a little trouble with a feral dog, but was able to shake him. The following days though is when the real trouble ensued. She had to fight off several boars, there was a really bad thunderstorm and her clothes ended up drenched. She’s honestly surprised she hasn’t ended up sick. And she can’t forget when she fell out of that tree and almost got herself killed all because she wanted an apple.

It was quite eventful, but she was just grateful she was finally here. She was so excited too. She’d get to show off her magic talent in the exam! And she’d get to see all the captains! And maybe even The Wizard King himself! Oh, that’d be so cool! She wonders what he’s like? She didn’t hear much about him or any of the captains really back where she’s from, but she does know about the squads. Or, at least, most of them.

The Crimson Lions. They were a big deal, pretty prestigious and known for being full of strong-willed people. They were towards the top of best ranked squads, and she had to wonder if she’d be fit in well there.

The Blue Rose’s. A squad completely full of women and only women. They’re strong and independent and she’s heard they have such a strong and noble captain. She wonders what she’s like? She’s heard she’s beautiful, to top it off.

The Silver Eagles were another squad at the top. She knew they wouldn’t accept her, they only had royals in their squad from what she’s heard. And she was no royal, not even close to one. She wasn’t even a commoner, just a lowly peasant. But she’ll show them just what peasants like her were capable of.

A squad she had a better chance of getting into was The Green Mantis’. They were full of commoners, but they seemed more accepting of people like her. She’s heard their captain is quite strange though, almost creepy. Snake-like. She almost didn’t want to meet him with the stories she’s heard about him.

The Purple Orca’s she didn’t know much about. She knows there’s been a little drama in their past, some rumors about their captain. She maybe had a chance of getting into their squad.

The Coral Peacock’s she knew next to nothing about too, just that their captain slept a lot of the time. What even is her magic, she had to wonder? Another more likely candidate to accept her into their squad.

The Azure Deer were led by the youngest captain in history, Rill Boismortier. She remembers hearing the news when he became captain. She’d only ever really heard nice things about him and his squad, so maybe they’d take a liking to her?

On top of the list and best of the best was The Golden Dawn. Mostly full of noble’s and very powerful magic users. She was no noble but maybe her abilities would impress? She sure hoped so. She could only imagine the look on Petri’s face when he got a letter from her telling him she made it into The Golden Dawn. Oh, that’d be hysterical.

If she’s remembering correctly she could’ve swore there was another squad, but she just couldn’t think of their name. _Hm…_ Oh well, she’ll figure it out later. For now, she needed to find something to eat around here. Her stomach was begging for something to eat.

She walked down the street, looking around at all the stands on either side of her. Everything looked so good, smelled it too. And there were also little shops with cool things for sale. Man, she really wished she had more money, but she just had enough for food for a few days and she wouldn’t waste it. So, instead, she searched for something to put on her stomach and energize her for the exam later.

She walked a little further, looking around for something that caught her eye and taste buds. Everything just smelled so good! She couldn’t decide! She was distracted momentarily anyway. Because she wasn’t really paying attention to what was in front of her, too busy looking at all the food, she ended up colliding with somebody. 

She stumbled back, caught off guard, but before she could fall her wrist was being grabbed and she was being steadied on her feet, “Ah, I’m sorry! I wasn’t paying attention to where I was going!”

She blinked, getting over her surprise and looking at the hand on her wrist. It was surprisingly gentle. She looked up to the owner of the hand, seeing concerned features and soft purple eyes. 

“Are you alright?” He asked her, his voice bouncy and cheerful. It pulled her out of her stupor.

“Oh! Y-yeah, I’m fine!” She smiled then, able to pull her wrist out of his hand and instead placing her hands on her hips, “Hehe, I wasn’t paying much attention either! Sorry about that!”

He seemed a little surprised by her enthusiasm, and it seemed to make him smile, “Oh, there’s nothing to apologize for! A cutie like yourself doesn’t have to be sorry for something like this!”

_Oh, a smooth talker, huh? I can show him._

“Then I don’t understand why you’re apologizing since you’re quite the cutie yourself,” Tassa replied, feeling pretty good about that one. Casual flirting with strangers was something she was quite good at, she did it more often before her entire town started… hating her.

Well, that got depressing.

According to the expression he got on his face and the red flush on his cheeks, it was apparent he wasn’t flirted with back often. Or he just wasn’t very good at taking it. Not that she minded, she liked when she left a man speechless.

“Uh, um…” He tried to find the words, smiling awkwardly and scratching the back of his head.

Tassa looked him over, and it was now that she noticed the robe around his shoulders. Her eyes widened and her voice grew in volume as she lifted a finger to point, “You’re a Magic Knight!”

“Huh?” He seemed surprised by her sudden excitement, but he smiled a moment later and confirmed her suspicion, “Oh, yeah! The Black Bulls! We’ve got a whole lot of skilled squad members, including myself!”

“Oh, really? What kind of magic do you have?” Tassa asked, genuinely curious; she was a bit of a magic nerd.

“Allow me to demonstrate,” He said, lifting a hand next to him and opening a portal.

Tassa’s eyes widened further and she beamed, “You’re a spatial mage?! That’s so cool!”

He seemed a bit surprised she was so curious and excited about his ability, but he smiled with pride, even if it was rocky, “Th-thanks. I can take us anywhere. Maybe after this whole exam shebang is through, I can put this magic to good use?”

Tassa gave him an amused look, crossing her arms now and flipping her hair, “That’s a bit forward, Mr. Spatial Mage. You don’t even know my name yet.”

He blushed, scrambling for words, “O-oh, you’re right! I’m sorry! U-um, what is uh--”

“Hehe, I’m Tassa Griffin! Nice to meet you!” She said, holding out a hand for him to shake.

She was very enthusiastic, it was nice. She wasn’t pushing him away, which was something he wasn’t used to. He smiled kindly, taking her hand to shake, “It’s nice to meet you too, Miss Tassa. I--”

“There you are!” The spatial mage flinched at the sudden booming voice, squeezing her hand a little tighter before he pulled it out of hers and turned to face the voice speaking to him.

“Oh, Captain Yami! Sorry, I got a little turned around! It’s a bit crowded today because of the--”

“The exams are starting soon. We need to get going,” The much larger man said gruffly.

He was… Big. Tall and muscly, Tassa was impressed. And he was a Magic Knights Squad Captain, so his magic was probably powerful too. She wonders what kind of magic he has? _Man, he’s so cool!_

“Al-alright,” The thinner man said, opening a portal for his captain to step through. The spatial mage turned to look at Tassa, smiling kindly, “Sorry to leave in such a rush, but we’ve got business elsewhere. If you’d like--”

“A-actually! I am contending in those exams you’re talking about, so… Would you mind giving me a lift?” Tassa asked, sort of awkwardly.

The fluffy haired boy blinked, seeming a bit surprised, but he nodded, “Oh, of course! After you!”

Tassa gave him an appreciative smile, “Thank you so much!”

Then she hopped through the portal and suddenly she was in an arena and surrounded by over a hundred potential magic knights. She had a lot of competition here, and seeing them all made her a little nervous. There’s so many people here, all with different types of magic and strengths and weaknesses. She had no idea what they’d be doing in this exam, but she knew it wouldn’t be easy. She wondered if she was ready for something like this? Was she jumping the gun on this one? 

“A little overwhelmed, huh? So was I when I did this,” The spatial mage said, stepping over to her as his captain just kind wandered off.

Tassa turned to him, seeing the kind smile on his face as he looked around at all the competitors, “Any tips?”

“Hmm…” He thought for a minute, rubbing his chin in thought, then he answered with, “Don’t worry about not being better than someone else, this is a place to show off your skills not to show you’re the best.”

Tassa quirked an eyebrow, “But wouldn’t they want the best?”

“If that was the case then I wouldn’t be a Magic Knight right now,” He told her, and she frowned and furrowed her eyebrows, “Anyway! You’ll do great, I’m sure! You seem pretty confident, and that’ll get you a long way!”

Tassa smiled then, glad this random stranger she just met had such confidence in her, “Well, thanks! What was your--”

“Ah, Captain Yami! What are you doing?!” He was suddenly occupied with whatever it was his Captain was up to, which appeared to be threatening a young man’s life.

Tassa just smiled though, thinking all of this was rather exciting. Look at all of these people! So many mages, some of which could become Magic Knights! She could become a Magic Knight! She almost couldn’t believe that, but here she was, about to contend to be one. Oh, she could barely contain her excitement!

She wonders what she’d be doing? She trained her magic for this moment, worked on the couple of spells she did have. Surely she’d impress! She did feel kind of out of place here though, most of the mages here were kids. She was a whole twenty-two years old, she felt so… old around all of them. 

Ugh, she hated that word.

Fireworks shot off from overhead, which startled her. She looked up at them, seeing the multicolored explosions. _They’re so pretty!_ She’s never seen fireworks before! 

“Come on, the exam is about to start!” The fluffy haired man’s voice rang out to his captain, then he spoke to her again, “Good luck, Miss Tassa! I’m sure you’ll do great!”

“Stop flirting, you little shit. Come on,” The captain spoke, grabbing the back of the shorter man’s robe and pulling him along behind him.

Tassa smiled and waved at him, thanking him, “Thank you! I hope to see you again, Mr. Spatial Mage!”

He was about to say something else but suddenly he was being pulled around a corner and out of sight. Tassa giggled then turned to look up where everyone else was. Where all the captains were coming out into everyone’s view.

_And wow, they’re so cool!_

The Purple Orca’s Captain was a large man, blonde hair slicked back and a smug look on his face. She didn’t know much about him, but had heard rumors about his sketchy behavior. She wasn’t so sure she’d want to join his squad out of all of the one’s here, but if he was the only one to raise a hand then so be it.

The Coral Peacock’s Captain appeared to be asleep. Was she sleepwalking? That’s interesting and sort of impressive? Is she aware of where she is or what’s going on? If she is, that’s extremely impressive. 

_Count me intrigued._

The youngest Captain was leading The Azure Deers. He had spiky whitish colored hair, almost blue in tint. It was so bright it almost looked to be glowing. He looked cheerful, even giggled and laughed a bit as he waved to the hopeful future Magic Knights.

The one with perhaps the scariest outward appearance was the Captain of The Green Praying Mantises. Very tall and lanky, almost concerningly thin. He wore a wicked smile on his face, something that looked almost sinister. It kind of gave her the creeps.

_No thanks._

The Captain of The Blue Rose Knights was beautiful. She looks like she means business, stern and tough. Tassa bets she is an excellent leader. Tassa had a bit of hope that maybe she’d raise her hand. She’d look good in blue.

One of the only ones she does know the name of is Nozel Silva, the Captain of The Silver Eagles. His hair… was interesting. She wasn’t sure she’d choose it for herself, but whatever floats his boat. Only royals could get into that squad, so she had no chance. She went ahead and wrote them off her list.

The Crimson Lions Captain was quite an intimidating man, and he had one of the most impressive squads amongst them all. It was a bit difficult to get into that squad too, but maybe if she impressed well enough she had a chance? She could only hope and try her best.

The Captain of The Golden Dawn was a man with quite an extravagant mask. He was smiling kindly at everyone as he stayed on his feet; all the others captains had already taken a seat. She heard it’s hard to get into that squad too, though they really were the best of the best. She doesn’t think her magic is powerful enough to get into The Golden Dawn, but she could always dream.

And lastly, Captain Yami of The Black Bulls. She’d forgotten about them earlier, but to be fair she’d not really heard much about them. She thought that was odd. Their Captain seemed impressive, and the man she’d met with spatial magic seemed nice enough. She wonders why she’d never heard of them?

The masked man stepped closer to the ledge and looked down at all the possible new Magic Knights, that kind-hearted smile still on his face as he spoke, “Candidates.”

His voice was soft and smooth, he sounded official and gentle at the same time. Odd qualities that fit together so well, “Sorry to keep you waiting. I will be conducting this exam.”

Makes sense, he is the head of the strongest Magic Knights squad. He seemed nice, but he gave off an almost stern presence. You knew he was the boss just from looking at him and being in the same perimeters as him.

Suddenly, a bright golden grimoire appeared before him, opening up and flipping to the page he wanted. Tassa and the rest of the candidates watched with wide and impressed eyes as he called out a spell. Suddenly, dark clouds were over them, making the stadium dark. A bright light shone from the middle, followed by a large tree sprouting out and then dividing into many branches that descended towards all the crowding mages. Before she knew it, a broomstick was being dropped into her hands.

She held it gently, looking down at it curiously. _He just made this? Out of that? No way. So this… This is the man closest to the Wizard King?_

He’s so powerful, it’s almost scary. Could she ever become that strong?

“We will now begin the Magic Knights Entrance Exam,” He said, still smiling, “We will have you all take several tests. The nine of us will evaluate your performance, and then we will select the candidates that we would like to add to our squads. If chosen, you will join that squad. If you’re chosen by more than one squad, you may choose the squad you would like to join.”

May choose what squad you’d like to join. She wondered if she could get one captain to raise their hand, let alone several!

“On the other hand, those who are not chosen by a captain are not qualified to join the Magic Knights,” He said before he explained the first test they’d be taking, “For the first exam, we will have you get on those brooms and fly.”

_Fly…? Shit._

She looked down at the broomstick in her hand as the masked man went on about this section of the exam. It’s the first test and she’s already nervous. _Dammit!_ Of all the things they could’ve picked to start things off, this is what they chose! So much for a good first impression. Sure, she could get this bad boy off the ground, but she wasn’t sure how long she could really stay up. 

People around her were starting to float, easily too. Some were struggling a little, but staying afloat and others were doing this with ease. Hell, that one dark-haired kid was standing on his! _Show off._

_Come on, Tassa. You can do this. Just focus your mana and… There you go!_

She floated off the ground, several feet, and she smiled and started giggling. _Yes! I did it!_ She was staying afloat a lot longer than she usually did. Maybe this wouldn’t go as poorly as she had thought it would.

Nope. Nevermind. She was falling.

Her back hit the ground harshly and her broomstick fell on top of her. She coughed, all the wind having been knocked out of her, then she glared at the sky and groaned. Well, that could’ve gone better. What even happened up there? She still can’t understand why she can’t ride a broomstick. It can’t be that hard, and her mana control wasn’t terrible. So what’s the problem?

She heard some people snickering, and she glared. They better not be laughing at her. She can kick their asses without even flipping a page in her grimoire. She didn’t have to worry though, they weren’t laughing at her. It appears she wasn’t the only one who fell off their broomstick, but it seems there was only one who never got off the ground.

There was a boy, a kid from the looks of it, struggling to get off the ground. He really was trying too hard, but it looks like someone was trying to help. Still though. _Poor thing…_

Luckily, this part of the exam seemed to go by fast, and soon it was time for the Magical Ability Exam. It was just to show off their attribute. Now this is something she’s good at. After their broomsticks were taken, a handful of people were picked to step forward and aim their abilities at little walls created by earth magic.

She had to wait her turn, but when she got up there she crushed it. All she did was take a deep breath, center her mana, and… BOOM. She slammed her foot into the ground, the earth underneath her rumbled and crumbled up, and soon enough she was shattering that little wall like it was nothing. The other candidates seemed impressed, which made her a little cocky but she kept a level head.

After that though, she felt a little more confident and she felt the rest was a freeze. She swept the Magical Ability Control Exam like it was nothing. The Creation Magic Exam was easy too, she impressed with her earth sculpting skills here. She killed it in the rest of the tests, and she was feeling rather proud of herself at this point. Exhausted too.

Everyone seemed tired, panting and sweating, hoping for this all to be over soon so they could rest. The guy with the pretty mask was standing up soon, speaking to them all once again, “The next exam should be the last one. You will engage in actual combat.”

_Combat? Real combat? After all of that and they still had to fight each other? Shit._ She’s exhausted and a lot of them didn’t have as much mana as others and were lagging behind. This really sucked for them.

The Crimson Lions Captain stood, motioning to the gathered mages and yelling out orders, “You’ll be battling! You will pair off and fight with your partner! You may use your grimoires to attack! Fighting is our duty! Show us your true abilities!”

The mask guy went on about the rules for a minute, but Tassa was already caught up trying to find a partner. She needed someone strong, someone that was worthy to fight. She didn’t want to cop out and fight some weakling, but she did need to stay within her fighting range. Hmmm, who to pick.

“Well, hello there. Need a partner, lil miss?” A swarmy voice spoke from behind her, and she turned around to see who it was.

There stood a man of average height, blonde hair flowing down around his shoulders. He was dressed in very fancy clothes, signifying to her that he was a noble. He had a smug smirk on his face, looking too cocky than she appreciated him to be.

“I’d be happy to help out a lady in need,” He smiled, “Don’t worry, I’ll go easy on you.”

She smiled wickedly. _He’s perfect._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading, I hope you liked it! Please leave a comment and let me know what you think! <3

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Leave a comment and let me know what you think! <3


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